This week we’ll be talking about beans: cooking with, soups, dips, and other favorite recipes. Today, though, let’s start at the beginning. Not the can, the vine!
Although canned beans are readily available and easy to prepare, nothing beats the taste of beans cooked from dried (or even fresh, if you grow your own or keep your eyes peeled at the farmer’s market). Plus, it’s cheaper and avoids the possible negative affects of BPA which may be in the can.
Interested in growing your own? Here’s an excellent article on growing beans at Mother Earth News. Although buying dried beans greatly increases the varieties available to you over canned, growing your own from seed expands the possibilities even more. You may even want to try to grow varieties that are in the Slow Food Ark of Taste to help preserve endangered varieties.
One of the barriers to using dried beans is forgetting to soak them, or the impression that it takes hours. Check back tomorrow to find lots of time saving tips!
Oh, fun! I’ve really gotten into cooking and freezing dried beans lately. Nourish is my favorite local place for bulk beans.